Wednesday, January 25, 2017

"Trump
could betray Israel as easily as he betrayed Rudy Giuliani, Newt
Gingrich and Chris Christie, who supported his campaign, only to be
abandoned. Trump could “Romney” Netanyahu, courting him, encouraging
expressions of fealty, then double- crossing him if Netanyahu ever
disagrees with him."

Center Field: Sage advice- The Ethics of the Fathers vs. Donald Trump

These aren’t predictions, but caveats for responsible leaders in
a treacherous world, during unstable times, facing a boorish president.

Edited by me....

Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton could have
delivered most of President Donald Trump’s inaugural address. Who
disagrees that “the nation exists to serve its citizens?” Even the
controversial “American carnage” line is in line with many presidents
who offered “A New Deal.” Ultimately, the only thing wrong with Trump’s
inaugural address was the address itself.

The speech lacked grace. Trump was who he is, the scrappy New Yorker with Twitterrhea.

The speech was supposed to transition, transform, elevating him
– and us – from the political swamps to the peaks of American
nationalism, history, destiny. Traditionally, inaugural addresses are
like the new presidents, gussied up for the occasion in top hats and
morning coats. But while you can dress Trump up, he still talks down.
The new commander-in-chief remains the Twitterer- in-chief; he sits in
Washington’s chair, but stews in the gutter.

Trump already needs an intervention – a kick in his Brioni pants to become a statesman.

Without grandeur, without moral authority, the president – and the nation – wither.

Reading this 1,900-year-old book ( Pirkei Avot), you’d think it was rushed into print after November 8.

The
sages teach: “One who tries to inflate his reputation, loses his
reputation.” A wise person “does not interrupt the words of his fellow,
and does not rush to reply.... He concedes to the truth. With the boor,
the reverse... is the case.” We learn that “one who is easily angered
and is difficult to appease, is wicked.”

“If you are boorish and crude, you will not realize how roughly you are treating people.”

Wonder
“who is strong?” The sages answer: “One who controls his impulses.” “Weak people bear down on others whom they perceive
to be weaker than they are.”

The sages celebrate silence as “a
fence for wisdom.” Silence “enables listening,” our rabbi notes, while
“speaking less means that one is less likely to say foolish things.”

The
sages advocate restraint, humility, respect, understanding that less
can be more, leading through distance. Underlying this advice is the
realization the Perek articulates when explaining why “keep away from a
bad neighbor” that “people often unconsciously imitate the behavior of
those with whom they associate” – and whom they follow.

America’s president sets the nation’s tone – his behavior is contagious, for better or worse.

Following
the rabbis, Trump should have used his inaugural to mollify the
millions who voted against him. He would have been secure enough to
ignore Congressman John L. Lewis’s questioning of the election’s
legitimacy.

And he would not have harmed his reputation by
appearing so protective of it that he couldn’t “concede the truth” that
more Americans attended Obama’s inauguration.

The sages’ wise if
seemingly contradictory advice for Trump’s opponents suggests: “Be
yielding to a leader... and receive every man with joy.” “Be flexible and bending with a superior, who is more
powerful than you.” Accepting everyone “cheerfully... is a form of
respecting and honoring the other.”

Yet, “In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man,” meaning “a mentsch.”“It is especially urgent to step up in a moral
crisis situation when no one is standing up for what is right. Take
responsibility.”

“Disputes
are rarely a matter of black or white,” “Any judge
who is absolutely convinced that he is right beyond question in his
rulings... is either a fool or a wicked person.”

Centuries before Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, the sages understood that a social contact protects people from one another.

“Pray
for the well-being of the government,” they preached; “for were it not
for fear [of its power], every man would swallow his fellow alive.”
All Americans must accept Trump as president – respecting authority.

Finally, some
sage warnings for Trump’s allies – including Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. “Be very careful of the governing people,” the rabbis
cautioned. “They befriend a person only for their own interests.

They
appear to be loving friends when they are benefiting from a person,
but they do not stand by a person when he is struggling.”

Trump
could betray Israel as easily as he betrayed Rudy Giuliani, Newt
Gingrich and Chris Christie, who supported his campaign, only to be
abandoned. Trump could “Romney” Netanyahu, courting him, encouraging
expressions of fealty, then double- crossing him if Netanyahu ever
disagrees with him.

These aren’t predictions, but caveats for
responsible leaders in a treacherous world, during unstable times,
facing a boorish president.

Ultimately, this sage advice trusts
humans as creatures blessed with free will, constantly evolving,
changing, choosing and, becoming “even more
responsible for bringing God’s love and care to all creatures.” Could a
70-year-old amateur president with gutter instincts transcend his
flaws and grow into the grandeur of his new position? Let’s hope.
The author is professor of history at McGill University and the author of 11 books. Twitter @GilTroy.

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